Description
Gift Horse is the fourth studio album by the American americana/pop combo Lost Dogs, released on BEC Recordings in 1999, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. The album was recorded and mixed during August and September 1999 by band member Gene Eugene and the Lost Dogs at The Green Room in Huntington Beach, California; with the band producing (Derri Daugherty, Mike Roe, Terry Taylor, and Gene Eugene). It was November 1999 Pick of the Month at The Phantom Tollbooth.
The band’s three previous studio releases included 50s rock, bluegrass, alternative ballads and even a novelty song, but this album is unabashedly grounded in country. Though an overall edge in the production value and songwriting makes Gift Horse more interesting and entertaining than your average country collection. Overall the album is much more cohesive in content and feel than previous albums. Great vocal performances, signature harmonies, bright guitars and a spirit of camaradarie shine through the cracks, according to music critic Brian Quincy Newcomb.
Gift Horse turned out to be Gene Eugene’s last album with the band when he died in his recording studio The Green Room shortly after its release in early 2000.
When Terry showed up at the first session this time with 10 or 11 completely finished songs, written after I had expressed my feeling that I didn’t want to do a mixed bag thing again (3 country songs , 2 blues, a couple pretty ones..etc). His songs were so right for this record, I felt that after we finished basic tracking on those, we had enough. Everyone agreed. [Gene Eugene]
Daniel Amos and Adam Again are in limbo, The Choir kaput and the 77s continue on without major label support. But still kicking is Lost Dogs, a musical supergroup bringing together the singers/vocalists of the aforementioned veteran Christian alternative groups. With Gift Horse, the group finally drops it’s long-awaited fourth album.
More earthy and down-to-earth than The Green Room Serenade, Part One (1996, Brainstorm), Gift Horse follows in the acoustic folk and country rock vein of the first two Lost Dogs efforts, Scenic Routes and Little Red Riding Hood (both now out of print).
Terry Taylor writes all of the lyrics this time out. Parables of loss and fear («A Vegas Story», «If You Loved Here You’d Be Home By Now», and «Wall of Heaven») rub up against statements of faith and grace («Loved and Forgiven», «Diamonds to Coal», and «Blessing in Disguise»). These are stories dripping with the human condition and longing for healing in the loving God who made us for life. They are our real stories, poignant, funny and sad, and at times too close for comfort.
Great vocal performances, signature harmonies, bright guitars and a spirit of camaradarie shine through the cracks, reminding us that Taylor, Derri Daugherty, Mike Roe and Gene Eugene have no absence of talent or vision. What they lack are record deals. Long live the Dogs. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, December 1999]
By now, a new Lost Dogs album is like an old friend’s tearful homecoming. That should come as no surprise – over the past twenty-five years, Terry Taylor, Mike Roe, Derri Daughtery, and Gene Eugene have recorded some of the most honest and personal music Christian rock has ever known. With their respective bands, Daniel Amos, The 77s, The Choir, and Adam Again, they’ve changed the face of CCM in ways too numerous to count. And together, these four singer/songwriters formed the Christian music’s supergroup, Lost Dogs.
Maybe some fans were surprised after purchasing Scenic Routes and hearing folk-country come out of their speakers. After all, it was a far cry from the U2-esque alternapop that The 77s and The Choir had put out, the funk rock brilliance of Adam Again’s Dig, or the quirky, new wave-tinged pop of Taylor and company’s Kalhoun. But the Dogs’ sound wasn’t that far off from its creators, when you consider that DA started off as a country band, and the other members had always incorporated some form of Americana into their music.
1993 brought the release of Little Red Riding Hood, much more varied and rich than its predecessor. Ranging from bluegrass («Bad Indigestion») to alternative ballad («Eleanor, It’s Raining Now»), the songs hit harder and stuck longer. Three years later, Brainstorm put out Green Room Serenade Part One, a countrified collection of rowdy rock songs. The liner notes of GRS1 promised a sequel to be released in the fall of 1996, which never happened.
Gift Horse is not the much-anticipated Green Room Serenade Part Two. Rather, it stands on its own, completely different from its predecessors, yet similar enough to be easily identified as the Lost Dogs. The differences are readily apparent – Gift Horse is more country than any of the previous albums. There are no rockers, save the comical honky tonk number «If You Loved Here, You’d Be Home By Now».
The other differences are perhaps more subtle. For example, rather than having each Dog write his own songs, Terry Taylor wrote all the lyrics on the albums, with his bandmates pitching in on the music. While Taylor’s characteristic wit and creative wordplay are certainly enjoyable, part of the Dogs’ charm was the contrast between the songwriting style of the band’s members. The other downside to Taylor’s lyrical dominance is the absence of covers, such as «Lord, Protect My Child» from Scenic Routes or «I’m a Loser» from Little Red Riding Hood.
Taylor seems to have taken a more serious approach to songwriting this time around. While his sense of humour is more than evident on «Ditto» and «If You Loved Here, You’d Be Home By Now», songs like «A Vegas Story» and «Blessing in Disguise» showcase the more serious side of his songwriting. The former is the heart wrenching tale of an alcoholic who sells his soul to Las Vegas for “free drinks and a dream.” The latter, one of the more hopeful songs of Taylor’s career, implores:
Hold fast to the hope that’s in you
Don’t always trust your eyes
Sometimes it takes a long time to see it as
A blessing in disguiseWhat’s most interesting about the songwriting on Gift Horse is the use of clichés, fractured and otherwise, as song titles: «Ghost Train to Nowhere», «If You Loved Here, You’d Be Home By Now», «Diamonds to Coal», and «Blessing in Disguise». Fortunately, rather than coming across as hackneyed, Taylor manages to breathe new life into these sayings.
Another difference from previous albums is that Derri Daughtery’s vocal presence is not felt as strongly on Gift Horse. Presumably this is because Daughtery lives in Nashville, while the other Dogs make their homes in Southern California. Roe and Eugene sing the most on the album, with Taylor having several songs to himself.
All in all, the Dogs have crafted a splendid album, worthy of the critical acclaim it’s sure to receive. It’s nice to have them back. [Michial Farmer, The Phantom Tollbooth, October 1999]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/gift-horse/715892363)
CD tracklist:
01. Ghost Train To Nowhere – 4:39
02. Free Drinks And A Dream (A Vegas Story) – 4:53
03. If You Loved Here You’d Be Home By Now – 3:09
04. Diamonds To Coal – 3:44
05. A Blessing In Disguise – 4:38
06. Loved And Forgiven – 4:47
07. Rebecca Go Home – 4:03
08. Honeysuckle Breeze – 2:56
09. Ditto – 4:18
10. The Wall Of Heaven – 4:37
11. Farther Along – 4:11
Note: Re-issued by Lo-Fidelity Records/Fools Of The World in 2013 as a Limited Edition Gift Horse (Deluxe) CD (200 copies), featuring 4 bonus tracks (Gene’s Rough Mixes): “Ghost Train To Nowhere” (4:28), “Free Drinks And A Dream (A Vegas Story)” (4:51), “Diamonds To Coal” (3:46), and “Loved And Forgiven” (4:40). Available at Bandcamp: https://thelostdogs.bandcamp.com/album/gift-horse-deluxe
A full-page advertisement for various new releases on BEC Recordings, including Lost Dogs’ Gift Horse, was featured in the October 1999 issue of CCM Magazine.
CREDITS. Produced by Derri Daugherty, Gene Eugene, Mike Roe, and Terry Taylor. The album was recorded and mixed by Gene Eugene and the Dogs, mostly at The “Fabulous” Green Room, Huntington Beach, CA during August and September 1999. Band photo by Anna Cardenas. Cover and photo by Durling Inc GBG. All songs by Terry Taylor except “Farther Along” (Traditional).
Musicians: Lost Dogs are – Derri Daugherty (Guitars, Bass, Mandolins, Lead Vocals and Harmonies), Gene Eugene (Keyboards, Guitars, Lead Vocals and Harmonies), Michael Roe (Guitars, Lead Vocals and Harmonies), Terry Taylor (Guitars, Lead Vocals and Harmonies), Burleigh Drummond (Drums and Percussion) – with Melissa Hasin (Cello), John McDuffie (Pedal Steel).
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.